When I Was Your Man
by parsda
Summary: Thoughts while at a wedding reception.


**When I Was Your Man**

He stood in the corner of the reception hall, slowly drinking his troubles away. The song the DJ was playing reminded him of her. He knew he'd screwed up and screwed up big time. She'd left him and moved on with her life. He had heard from friends and coworkers that she'd found someone and it broke his heart. He, on the other hand, kept working his way through a long string of women who wanted him for his name and his career, but not for him as a person. Sometimes it was just easier to deal with it like he was, instead of trying to come to terms with what he'd done. He knew he needed to change his life, but it was hard to break out of the precedent he'd set for himself.

Same bed but it feels just a little bit bigger now

Our song on the radio but it don't sound the same

When our friends talk about you, all it does is just tear me down

'Cause my heart breaks a little when I hear your name

He watched as she danced around the floor with her new husband. She looked amazing. She was happy and laughing at something her husband was saying while he twirled her around the room. It'd been a long time since he saw her smile like she was today. It could have been him, should have been him, had he not screwed up so many times. He knew he was in the wrong and he tried to fix it so many times with her, but in the end, he couldn't blame her for leaving and moving on with her life.

She loved to dance and had always wanted him to go out with her to the clubs where she could dance the night away and not worry about anything else. He was usually too busy with work and after a while, he started to resent her for having fun while he was working late. That's when the string of other women started, he wanted to punish her in his own way for leaving him to work, while she had fun with her friends. Looking back on it now, he knows it was just an excuse.

.

It all just sounds like oooooh…

Mmm, too young, too dumb to realize

That I should've bought you flowers

And held your hand

Should've gave you all my hours

When I had the chance

Take you to every party

'Cause all you wanted to do was dance

Now my baby's dancing

But she's dancing with another man

He thought back to the last time he'd seen her at his house. She had surprised him at his house and walked in on him and a one of the nameless woman in the living room. She didn't yell and scream like he thought she would. He always knew that one day he'd get caught, but that didn't stop his behavior. She just walked past them and into the bedroom, where she grabbed one of the laundry baskets and gathered up all of her belongs and walked out of the front door of the house, never to return.

My pride, my ego, my needs, and my selfish ways

Caused a good strong woman like you to walk out my life

Now I never, never get to clean up the mess I made, ohh…

And it haunts me every time I close my eyes

He tried calling her repeatedly, but she blocked his calls. He tried to text and got the same result. He sent her flowers, which were returned with a note from the florist that the recipient refused the delivery. He tried for months afterwards, but got nowhere with contacting her. He'd finally heard that she moved on and was living with her new boyfriend. At that point, he'd given up. He'd screwed up and couldn't fix it, no matter how many times he tried.

It all just sounds like oooooh…

Mmm, too young, too dumb to realize

That I should've bought you flowers

And held your hand

Should've gave you all my hours

When I had the chance

Take you to every party

'Cause all you wanted to do was dance

Now my baby's dancing

But she's dancing with another man

He followed her progress as she walked around the room, holding onto her husband, talking to people once she stopped dancing with her husband. Her new husband had many friends and coworkers that wanted a turn on the dance floor with her. The DJ announced the "dollar dance" and both her and her husband took a spot in the center of the dance floor and the lines to dance with them grew long. All of the men wanted a chance to dance with her and her husband had a long line as well, as he was a good looking man. He debated what to do and in the end, he set his glass down and got at the end of the line to dance with her.

When it got to be her turn, she looked at him in surprise before she smiled at him and then holding out her hand, saying "it costs to dance with me tonight". He gave her a twenty dollar bill, which caused her to laugh and ask if he wanted change. He shook his head no and she stuffed the bill down bodice of her dress. They started dancing and he wanted to say something to her, but lost his nerve. He was the last person in her line so they finished the song and once it was over, he looked at her and said, "I'm sorry for being such an ass and hurting you when we were dating. I didn't respect you and that was wrong. I'm trying to become a better person and change my life around. I wish you a happy life."

Although it hurts

I'll be the first to say that I was wrong

Oh, I know I'm probably much too late

To try and apologize for my mistakes

But I just want you to know

Her new husband walked over and pulled her to him. She looked at him and smiled and gave him a quick kiss. She whispered to him and then walked way for a few minutes. Her husband looked at him and said, "She was glad you were able to come today. It means a lot to her that you're here, even if I think you don't deserve one minute of her time." He knew it was true and didn't argue. He simply nodded and walked away, heading back to his dark corner of the room. She walked back over to her husband and grabbed his hand and drug him back onto the dance floor.

I hope he buys you flowers

I hope he holds your hand

Give you all his hours

When he has the chance

Take you to every party

'Cause I remember how much you loved to dance

Do all the things I should have done

When I was your man

Do all the things I should have done

When I was your man

He stood watching them dance with each other and turned around when someone put a hand on his shoulder. He looked over at the person and gave a nod in acknowledgment. "They look good together, don't they?" he was asked. "Yes, she loves him and it shows. I don't think she really knew what love was until she met him. He treats her how she deserves to be treated, better than I ever treated her."

"Come on, I'll buy you another drink and we can share sob stories about her."

Dickie Orr looked over at Joe Morelli and nodded. Both gave a sigh, and walked to the bar. They both had have their share of stories and both of their stories ended with her leaving them because they screwed up.

One the dance floor, Ranger picked Stephanie up in his arms and twirled her around, smiling and laughing the whole time.

The End


End file.
